Dr. Arthur Middleton

Associate Professor of Wildlife Management & Policy

Arthur’s research group studies the behavioral, population, and community ecology of wide-ranging wildlife, and contributes to several a variety of landscape conservation and human-wildlife conflict reduction initiatives. Currently, the group works at several field sites in North and South America. Arthur has graduate degrees from Yale University and the University of Wyoming. He was a Fellow of the National Geographic Society from 2017-2020, when he launched the Beyond Yellowstone Program to help accelerate large-scale conservation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Arthur also serves as a Senior Advisor for Wildlife Conservation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Dr. Justin Brashares

Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation

Justin is a wildlife ecologist and conservation scientist. Work in Justin’s group combines approaches from ecology and conservation with economic, political and social perspectives to manage and conserve wildlife populations and communities in California, and at sites across the planet. Outside of his research, Justin serves as an advisor to state, federal, tribal and non-profit groups, including as a member of the National Geographic Society’s Committee on Research and Exploration, and on the boards of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science and the Environment.

Dr. Kaggie Orrick

Postdoctoral Researcher

Kaggie Orrick graduated from the Yale School of the Environment with a PhD focused on human-wildlife interactions in Botswana. Her work bridges ecological and social science theories in the hopes to advance our ability to do conservation science. She is particularly interested in the practices of people, animals, and domestic species. You can read her publications and more about her previous experiences here.

Dr. Mauriel Rodriguez Curras

Postdoctoral Researcher

Mauriel is a community and behavioral ecologist who recently earned his PhD in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison focusing on carnivore community interactions. Using a variety of field and laboratory approaches, his work explores the impacts of human-carnivore interactions along with the downstream consequences of non-consumptive recreation, changing land use, and human resource subsidies. Mauriel is broadly interested in fundamental questions on the mechanisms driving community interactions, species coexistence, and the strategies that species employ in adapting to change. You can read his publications and find out more about his previous research here.

Matthew Hyde

Postdoctoral Researcher

Matt is a wildlife ecologist and conservation scientist that studies carnivore ecology and conflict with humans across the Americas. His research incorporates tools for spatial ecology, behavioral ecology, and conservation psychology to evaluate the effectiveness of nonlethal strategies, assess livelihood impacts, and evaluate outcomes of conflict mitigation strategies. He is interested in locally-led and collaborative approaches to creating actionable research, such as co-production with livestock producers and wildlife managers. Matt is currently finishing his PhD in Ecology at Colorado State University.

Christina Winters

Field Lead, Masters Student, & CDFW Wolf Program

Christina Winters is a wildlife biologist and Masters student studying wolf ecology and conservation on working lands in California in the Middleton and Brashares lab at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining UC Berkeley, Christina worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on large carnivores and mesocarnivore since 2021, and was engaged on a wide range of projects around the state. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Gonzaga University, and gained a wide range of experience as a whitewater raft guide, camera trapping for jaguars in Belize and Panama, and studying fisher movement in California.

Axel Hunnicutt

State Gray Wolf Coordinator, CDFW

Axel is a wildlife ecologist and wildlife manager who has worked across countries and continents with various large carnivores. As the State Gray Wolf Coordinator for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, he leads the state’s efforts in gray wolf conservation management, recovery, and research, and the agency’s lead for CAWP.

Malia Byrtus

Communications Manager & Wildlife Camera Trapper

Malia is a communications specialist focused on large carnivore and landscape conservation initiatives. Her work integrates professional DSLR camera traps for aiding wildlife research and storytelling projects that strengthen community-driven impact. Malia’s previous work can be seen in National Geographic, including the Path of the Panther project and Florida Wildlife Corridor campaign. She earned her Masters degree in Exploration Science from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science.

Vishal Subramanyan

Undergraduate Student & Wildlife Photographer

Vishal Subramanyan is a wildlife photographer and undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley. Using camera traps, telephoto lenses, and other photography techniques, he aims to capture unique imagery that raises awareness and inspires community action. With an academic background in ecology, he integrates science into his storytelling efforts, using his knowledge of the animals and environments to create compelling stories.